System and methods for internalization of external components of an adjustable intragastric balloon

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for use in a stomach of a subject includes a balloon adapted for placement in the stomach and having an opening to an interior of the balloon, an internal tube in the interior of the balloon with a proximal end coupled to the opening of the balloon, and an inflation tube. The inflation tube has a distal end in the interior of the balloon and a proximal end that can receive a fluid on an exterior of the balloon. The inflation tube can stretch from the stomach to a mouth of the subject to facilitate inflation of the balloon and has a resting position that is substantially within the interior of the balloon. The internal tube is disposed around at least a portion of the inflation tube that is in the interior of the balloon.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application in a 371 of International Application No.PCT/US2013/071730, filed Nov. 25, 2013, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application Nos. 61/729,654, filed Nov. 26, 2012 and61/770,364, filed Feb. 28, 2013, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

This application cross-references the following U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/132,855, filed May 18, 2005 and published as U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. 2006/0142731 on Jun. 29, 2006 (nowabandoned); Ser. No. 11/721,993, filed Feb. 26, 2009 as a continuationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/132,855 and patented as U.S. Pat.No. 8,403,952 on Jan. 21, 2010; Ser. No. 11/718,795, filed Jul. 9, 2007and patented as U.S. Pat. No. 8,430,894 on Apr. 30, 2013; and Ser. No.13/108,487, filed May 16, 2011 and patented as U.S. Pat. No. 8,430,895on Apr. 30, 2013, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods directedto adjustable intragastric balloons, and more particularly, to systemsand methods for internalizing components of an adjustable intragastricballoon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Morbid obesity remains an ever-growing problem in the world. Varyingforms of gastric bypass surgery have developed and have improved overthe last few decades. Recently, laparoscopic gastric banding has emergedas a less invasive surgical option. However, bariatric surgery isfraught with morbidity of up to 20%, with a re-operation rateapproaching 25% at 3-5 years post-op. Bariatric surgery carries anoperative mortality of 0.5%. Diet and pharmaceutical alternatives havenot been very effective, with a high recidivism rate. Intragastricballoons in use can achieve weight loss and a drop in BMI. However,balloon deflation can result in unwarranted migration leading toobstruction.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,430,894 and 8,430,895 describe balloon systems having aballoon coupled to a gastrointestinal anchor that is configurable toprevent passing of the anchor into a duodenum of a subject. Theseballoon systems also each describe a stretchable inflation tube that canstretch from a stomach to a mouth of the subject, about 2.5-10 times itslength, to facilitate inflation or adjustment of volume of the balloon.The inflation tube is partly inside and partly outside of the balloon.U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0142731 and U.S. Pat. No.8,403,952 describe a floating anchor that can be used, for example, witha gastrointestinal balloon. However, further improvements can be made tolimit side effects from implantable devices including, but not limitedto, tissue trauma, difficulty finding the tube, and difficulty graspingthe tube, some of which may result of components of the devices that arelocated on the outside of the gastrointestinal balloon.

Intragastric balloons still need to be improved upon with respect toadaptation to the body, monitoring, adjustment, and removal.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention may provide an apparatus for use in astomach of a subject. The apparatus comprises a balloon adapted forplacement in the stomach and having an opening to an interior of theballoon, an internal tube in the interior of the balloon with a proximalend coupled to the opening of the balloon, and an inflation tube havinga distal end in the interior of the balloon and a proximal endconfigured to receive a fluid on an exterior of the balloon, theinflation tube being configured to stretch from the stomach to a mouthof the subject to facilitate inflation of the balloon and to have aresting position that is substantially within the interior of theballoon, the internal tube being disposed around at least a portion ofthe inflation tube that is in the interior of the balloon.

Embodiments of the invention may also include a method of adjusting aninflation level of a balloon inserted into a stomach of a subject wherethe balloon is in fluid communication with an inflation tube. The methodcomprises stretching the inflation tube while keeping the balloon in thestomach, the inflation tube extending from within the balloon whenstretching, transferring a fluid to or from the balloon via theinflation tube which may or may not require connection to an extensiontube, to adjust the inflation level of the balloon, and returning theinflation tube to a resting position after adjusting the inflationlevel, a substantial portion of the inflation tube being containedwithin the balloon in the resting position.

Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention areset forth or apparent from consideration of the following detaileddescription, drawings and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood thatboth the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and intended to provide further explanationwithout limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of theinvention and together with the detailed description serve to explainthe principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A shows an intragastric balloon with an internal tube in anextended position and an inflation tube disposed substantially insidethe balloon in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1B shows the intragastric balloon of FIG. 1A with the internal tubein a shortened position and the inflation tube disposed with asubstantial portion outside the balloon in accordance with an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 2A shows an intragastric balloon with an internal tube in anextended position within a rigid support and a tether at a restinglength, and an inflation tube disposed substantially inside the balloonin accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2B shows the intragastric balloon of FIG. 2A with the internal tubein a shortened position within the rigid support and tether at astretched length, and the inflation tube disposed with a substantialportion outside the balloon in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3A shows an intragastric balloon with a telescoping internal tubein an extended position with the spring at the resting length and aninflation tube disposed substantially inside the balloon in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3B shows the intragastric balloon of FIG. 3A with the telescopinginternal tube in a shortened position, with the spring at the compressedlength and the inflation tube disposed with a substantial portionoutside the balloon in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4A shows an intragastric balloon with a telescoping internal tubein an extended position within a rigid support and a tether at a restinglength, and an inflation tube disposed substantially inside the balloonin accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B shows the intragastric balloon of FIG. 4A with the telescopinginternal tube in a shortened position within the rigid support andtether at a stretched length, and the inflation tube disposed with asubstantial portion outside the balloon in accordance with an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 5 shows an intragastric balloon with an internal tube and a recessto accommodate components of the intragastric balloon assembly inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows an intragastric balloon with an elongated internal tube anda recess to accommodate components of the intragastric balloon assemblyin accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows an intragastric balloon with a curved internal tube and arecess to accommodate components of the intragastric balloon assembly inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a close-up view of a portion of an intragastric balloonwith a recess in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 shows an intragastric balloon with a support and internal curvedtube in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10A shows an intragastric balloon and endoscope assembly beforeexpansion of the balloon and with a containing member havingperforations in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10B shows the intragastric balloon and endoscope assembly of FIG.10A during expansion of the balloon and shows widening of theperforations from a partially expanded state of the balloon inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10C shows the intragastric balloon and endoscope assembly of FIG.10A from a side view during expansion of the balloon and shows expansionof the balloon through the perforations in accordance with an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 10D shows the intragastric balloon and endoscope assembly of FIG.10A during further expansion of the balloon after tearing of theperforations in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11A shows an intragastric balloon and endoscope assembly with acontaining member in a state for insertion of the assembly in apatient's body in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11B shows the intragastric balloon and endoscope assembly of FIG.11A during removal of the containing member in accordance with anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11C shows the intragastric balloon and endoscope assembly of FIG.11A after the containing member has been substantially removed from theballoon in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An adjustable balloon may be a fluid filled balloon that has astretchable inflation tube connected to the balloon. The inflation tubeexits the balloon within a surrounding tube and ends in a valve. Duringan insertion procedure, a pusher and a firm guidewire within the pushermay connect to the balloon and an external catheter in one straightcontinuum. Alternatively, the balloon may be carried by the endoscopeinto the stomach using a sleeve connected to the endoscope, and withoutneed of a guidewire. The inflation tube may stretch about 6 to 10 timesits length, and may allow the valve to be pulled out of the stomachwhile the balloon remains in the stomach. This can allow adjustment ofthe volume of the balloon. Applicant's other patent applicationsreferenced and incorporated above discuss some features of a similarballoon.

An adjustable balloon system may have a stretchable inflation tube thatis partly within and partly outside of the balloon. An external tube canproduce challenges in several ways, including but not limited to causingtissue trauma, difficulty in finding the tube, and difficulty ingrasping the tube.

Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods to internalizethe external components into the balloon. In an embodiment, an internalrigid catheter may house a stretchable inflation tube that can be bondedin its most distal 1 cm to an internal surface of the rigid catheter,thereby allowing a remainder of the length of the stretchable inflationtube to slide freely within a lumen of the rigid catheter and therebyattaining its maximum stretchability outside of the balloon. Forexample, a 10 cm long inflation tube bonded in this way in its mostdistal 1 cm has a remaining 9 cm of length that is unbound and maystretch to lengths of 60-90 cm. The rigid catheter inside the balloonmay be one stagnant length and may only hold a set length of stretchableinflation tube. In some embodiments, the internal rigid catheter can bemade to have changeable lengths such that at a resting state it is onelength, but when pulled by the bonded end of the inflation tube it canshorten partially and thereby send more stretchable inflation tube tothe exterior of the balloon. This in turn can shorten the necessarylength of the external inflation tube.

In an embodiment, the internal rigid catheter may have have segments ofaccordion-like walls that may contract when pulled to shorten the lengthof the rigid catheter. The thickness of the accordion walls can bevaried so that they can have more or less propensity to return to abaseline longer length. Additionally, a metal spring can be provided(internal to or immediately surrounding the catheter) that promoteslengthening of the rigid catheter. Alternatively, a distal end of thevariable sized catheter can be bound to a distal end of a surroundingfixed length catheter by a stretchable tether or spring that promoteslengthening of the catheter to its longer length. Alternatively, thedistal end of the variable sized catheter can be bound to a distalballoon wall by a stretchable tether or spring that promotes lengtheningof the catheter to its longer length.

In an embodiment, the variable sized catheter can be formed as anantenna-type tube, similar to an old-fashioned television antenna, thathouses progressively smaller diameter tubes so that the variable sizedcatheter can shorten or lengthen as desired. The inflation tube can sitinside the smallest diameter segment. The smallest diameter segmentwould therefore be large enough to house the inflation tube and may havea clearance, for example, at least 1 mm of space, between the inflationtube and catheter wall. Additionally, a metal spring can be provided(internal to or immediately surrounding the catheter) to promotelengthening of the variable sized catheter. The variable sized cathetercan also be can be bound to the distal end of a surrounding fixed lengthcatheter by a stretchable tether or spring that promotes lengthening ofthe collapsible catheter to its longer length. Alternatively, thevariable sized catheter can be bound to the distal balloon wall by astretchable tether or spring that promotes lengthening of the catheterto its longer length.

In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided for internalizingwithin the balloon an external catheter, valve and cap. The result mayprovide a smooth balloon without substantial external protrusions. Thisresult can be accomplished according to various embodiments discussedherein. In an embodiment, the area of the balloon from which exits thecatheter will be shaped to form a concavity or recess, that is deepenough to hold the valve and cap, For example, the concavity may beapproximately 1-5 cm deep. The concavity may be created by differing thedensity of a material such as silicone or adding other materials to thewall of the balloon in the area of the concavity. Alternatively, theballoon can be lengthened such that the internal catheter can be longerand house more inflation tube so that less protrudes outside of theballoon. The longer balloon can be spherical, pear shaped, cylindrical,or have other shapes that fit in the stomach. The inflation tube maystretch about 6-10 times its length. Alternatively, the inflation tubemay be constructed of different materials, such as a different siliconematerial, and may be able to stretch 10-20 times its length.Alternatively, the internal catheter that houses the inflation tube, andmay be a solid straight silicone catheter in an embodiment, can bemodified to house a substantially frictionless internal canal thathouses the inflation tube. For example, the substantially frictionlessinternal canal may be lined with Teflon® or other similar materials, ormay be filled with liquid silicone oil or other friction reducingmaterial. Reducing the friction in these or other ways would allow thecatheter to have a curved shape, such as a shape in a sinusoidalpattern, effectively lengthening the catheter and enabling moreinflation tube to be inside the balloon. The catheter may be one piecethat starts internally and is glued to the top of the balloon afterwhich it exits the balloon. Alternatively, the catheter may becompletely internal catheter that ends in a receptacle at its glue pointwith the balloon. The receptacle may be big enough to house all orsubstantially all of the valve and cap. Any combination of the above canaccomplish the internalization of the external catheter, valve and cap.Additionally, a supporting frame that can also act as an anchor may alsobe provided in combination with any of the above features.

FIGS. 1A and 1B show an intragastric balloon assembly 100 according toan embodiment of the invention. The assembly 100 generally includesballoon 102 with a substantial internally disposed inflation assemblythat can maintain the balloon 102 profile when the inflation assembly isdormant (FIG. 1A), but can be adapted for operational use outside theballoon 102 profile, as shown in FIG. 1B. This can be accomplishedthrough the use of an internal tube 114 alone or in combination with arecess 140. The assembly 100 includes a balloon 102 adapted forplacement in the stomach of a subject. The balloon 102 has an opening115 to an interior 104 of the balloon 102. An inflation tube 108 has adistal end 118 and a proximal end 119. The distal end 118 is positionedin the interior 104 of the balloon 102. The proximal end 119 is adaptedto receive a fluid and may be positionable on an exterior 106 of theballoon 102. An internal tube 114 in the interior 104 has a proximal end121 coupled to the opening 115 of the balloon 102. The inflation tube108 is contained within a lumen 122 defined by an inner wall 116 of theinternal tube 114. A distal end 120 of the internal tube 114 is coupledto the distal end 118 of the inflation tube 108.

The inflation tube 108 can stretch from the stomach to a mouth of thesubject to facilitate inflation of the balloon 102. However, in aresting position as shown in FIG. 1A, the inflation tube 108 issubstantially within the balloon 102. It can be in the interior 104 ofthe balloon 102, substantially within the interior 104 of the balloon,or within the general profile of the balloon, which is shown in FIG. 1Aby a representative broken line 103. In some embodiments, the recess 140may have a depth ranging from 10 to 50 mm. The resting positioncorresponds to a position before the inflation tube 108 is stretchedaway from the balloon or after the inflation tube 108 has been releasedfrom the stretched position and returned to the resting position.According to this internalization of components in the resting position,it may be possible to limit or avoid trauma to tissue of the patientthat may otherwise be caused by portions of an intragastric balloonassembly, such as a inflation tube, cap and valve, or other catheter,that protrude from the balloon or profile of the balloon. The returningto the resting position after being stretched may be facilitated by theshrinking or un-stretching of the inflation tube 108, or by theelongation of the internal tube 114 which pulls the distal end 118 ofthe inflation tube 108, or by a combination of both mechanisms. Theinternal tube 114 is positioned around at least a portion of theinflation tube 108 that is in the interior 104 of the balloon 102. Insome embodiments, a distance x separates the inflation tube 108 from theinterior wall 166 of the internal tube 114 to facilitate the stretchingand/or sliding of the inflation tube 108 relative to the interior wall166.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the internal tube 114 may have a variablelength including a first length L₁ that accommodates a substantialportion of the inflation tube 108 when the inflation tube 108 is in theresting position (see FIG. 1A), and a second length L₂, which is shorterthan the first length L₁, when the inflation tube 108 is stretchedoutwardly from the balloon 102 (see FIG. 1B). The inflation tube 108 hasan un-stretched length L₃ in the resting position and a stretched lengthL₄ in the stretched position.

The wall of the internal tube 114 in FIG. 1 has a plurality of accordionstructures 124 to facilitate the variable length of the internal tube114. In the example shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, each of the two accordionstructures 124 includes three peaks 126 and two valleys 128 between thepeaks 126. However, the internal tube 114 is not limited to thisconfiguration and may have one or more accordion structures 124 thateach has at least one, but possibly more, peak 126 and/or valley 128.Multiple accordion structures 124 may be separated by flat portions 125of the internal tube 114. As shown in FIG. 1B, the accordion structures124 contract or collapse to allow shortening of the internal tube 114away from a distal end 138 of the balloon when the inflation tube 108 isstretch outwardly from the balloon 102. Further, upon release of thestretched inflation tube 108 shown in FIG. 1B, the inflation tube 108and internal tube 114 may return to the resting position show in FIG.1A. By returning to this resting position, components of the balloonassembly 100 may be contained within or substantially within the balloonor the balloon profile. Thus, trauma to tissues of the patient may belimited or prevented that may have otherwise been caused from protrudingportions or an irregular profile of an intragastric balloon according toother constructions.

The opening 115 of the balloon 102 may be formed as a cylindricalstructure that is recessed with respect to the walls of the balloon 102on either side of the opening 115. In addition, the opening 115 may besized to accommodate one or more structures, such as a cap and valve110, on the proximal end 119 of the inflation tube 108.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show an intragastric balloon assembly 100 according toan embodiment of the invention that includes a rigid support structure132. The rigid support structure 132 remains fixed as the internal tube114 varies in length. A distal end 134 of the rigid support structure132 may be coupled to the distal end 120 of the internal tube 114 viaone or more stretchable tethers or springs 136. The tether or spring 136biases the internal tube 114 to its lengthened position so that theinflation tube 108 and any other external structures will be pulled inor toward the interior 104 of the balloon 102. In some embodiments, atether or spring may be coupled to the distal wall 138 of the balloon102, rather than the rigid support structure 132.

The rigid support structure 132 may define an opening 135 at its distalend 134 allow fluid to flow to and from the inflation tube 108 to theremainder of the balloon 102. The rigid support structure 132 may besubstantially coaxial with the internal tube 114.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show an intragastric balloon assembly 200 according toanother embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, structuressimilar to the preceding embodiments are similarly numbered and may notbe discussed in full detail below. The internal tube 214 of FIGS. 3A and3B is a telescoping tube having more than one telescoping segments 224slideably engaged with each other. FIG. 3A shows the internal tube 214in an extended position, whereas FIG. 3B shows the internal tube 214 ina contracted position.

The corresponding diameters D1, D2, D3 of the various telescopingsegments 224 allow for one segment to slide within or over another. Thediameter D1 of the smallest segment 224 must be sufficiently wide toaccommodate the inflation tube 208. For example, there may be a space x′between the inflation tube 208 and the internal wall 216 of thetelescoping segment 224 with diameter D1. The space x′ may facilitatestretching and movement and/or sliding of the inflation tube 208relative to the internal wall 216 of telescoping segment 224.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show an embodiment of the intragastric balloon assembly200 that includes a rigid support structure 232 with one or morestretchable tethers or springs 236. Although only three telescopingsegments 224 are shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B, more or fewer may beused.

FIGS. 5-9 show additional embodiments of an intragastric balloonassembly 300 according to the invention. In FIGS. 5-9, a proximal end319 of the inflation tube 308 includes one or more structures, includinga valve 310 and a removable cap 312. The valve 310 can be selectivelyopened to perform an adjustment of the inflation level of the balloon302, and closed when the adjustment is completed. The cap 310 can coverthe valve 310 to seal it or to keep foreign particles or bacteria awayfrom the valve.

To minimize the extent to which these external structures projectoutward from the balloon 302, a recess 340 is formed on the outersurface of the balloon 302. The recess 340 may have a depth d, as shownin FIG. 5, that is sufficient to house substantially all or some portionof the external structures, including valve 310 and cap 312, of theinflation tube 308 when the inflation tube 308 is in a resting (ornon-stretched) position. In other words, a depth of the recess 340 maybe greater than or equal to a height of the inflation tube 308 that iswithin the recess 340 in the resting position.

By allowing more of the inflation tube 308 and other related elements tobe stored within the balloon 302 or recess 340, a smoother overallappearance of the balloon may be achieved by reducing or eliminatingextension of those elements past a profile of the balloon, which isshown in FIG. 5 by a representative broken line 303. However, it may notbe necessary for the inflation tube 308 and related elements to becompletely within the balloon 302 or recess 340 in some embodiments. Forexample, a portion of the inflation tube 308, valve 310, or cap 312 mayextend beyond the profile of the balloon.

FIGS. 5 and 6 shows internal tubes 314 of different lengths. Byproviding an internal tube 314 of a certain length, a certain amount ofinflation tube 308 may be stored within the internal tube 314. Thus, insome embodiments the internal tube 314 may be longer than otherembodiments (e.g., compare FIG. 6 to FIG. 5) so that a longer inflationtube 308 may be used. A longer inflation tube 308 may also allow theinflation tube 308 to be stretch farther from the balloon 302.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment where the internal tube 314 has a curvedshape. The internal tube 314 includes a number of curved portions 348,corresponding to approximately two periods of a sinusoidal wave. Thus,curves 348 can accommodate an inflation tube 308 having a long effectivelength in a shorter balloon 302. The shape and curvature of the internaltube 314 can vary. For example, the curvature might be adjustedaccording to the friction between the internal tube 314 and theinflation tube 308 so that the inflation tube 308 can easily slide pastthe interior wall 316 of the internal tube 308 when being stretched orreturning to the resting position.

To facilitate sliding of the inflation tube 308 within the internal tube314, the interior wall 316 of the internal tube 314 may be formed of orcoated with a low-friction or frictionless material or lubricant, or theinternal tube 314 can be filled with a substance to reduce friction.

The inflation tube 308 of FIGS. 5-7 also includes a curved end portion309 which can help prevent fluid flow from being blocked duringinflation or deflation of the balloon. For example, it is possible thatduring deflation of some intragastric balloons an internal structure ortissue of the patient may be suctioned against the opening on the distalend of the inflation tube, which could block further deflation. Thecurved end portion 309 may prevent such a blockage. The curved endportion 309 may also be provided as an atraumatic end on the distal end318 of the inflation tube 308. Thus, the curved end portion 309 mayminimize the potential of the relatively sharp edges of the opening onthe distal end 318 of the inflation tube 308 from contacting andpossibly damaging an internal structure such as the balloon or thetissue of the patient.

In FIG. 8, a receptacle 315 is provided within the recess 340. Thereceptacle 315 is sized to accommodate the external structures, such asthe cap 312 and valve 310. A filler substance 350 may be used to fill aspace 352 between the receptacle 315 and the walls of the recess 340.Such a filler substance 350 can be used to bond the receptacle 315 tothe balloon 302 and to keep external matter or bacteria from becomingtrapped in the space 352. In an embodiment, the filler substance 350 maybe some type of glue or epoxy. In addition, the receptacle 315 may serveto form or hold the shape of the recess 340.

In some embodiments, walls of the balloon 302 surrounding the opening orreceptacle 315 may involute and be attached or glued to the receptacle315 and/or internal tube 314, as shown in FIG. 8, for example. Thereceptacle 315 may either be formed from the proximal end of theinternal tube 314 or be a structure that is attached to the proximal endof the internal tube 314 via glue, adhesive, or some structureattachment mechanism. The receptacle 315 that is outside of the balloon302, though it may still be within the balloon profile shown in FIG. 8by a representative broken line 303, may be made formed as a softflexible catheter. However, in an embodiment, the receptacle 315nonetheless has sufficient firmness to help maintain the shape of therecess 340, even as the volume of the balloon is adjusted or the shapeof the balloon changes. Furthermore, the material and stiffness of thereceptacle 315 can prevent the components disposed within the receptacle315 from making harmful or injurious contact with internal tissues ofthe patient. Additionally, the receptacle 315 is itself of suitableconstruction to not injure the tissue of the patient while maintainingthe shape of the balloon under normal operating conditions andpressures. The receptacle 315 may therefore provide protection for theinflation tube 308, valve 310, and cap 312 that are disposed within it,while also not being injurious to internal organs or tissue of apatient.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment with a rigid support structure 332. Theinternal tube 314 in FIG. 9 has a curved shape with the curved sections348 being attached to the rigid support structure 332 at anchor points349. The internal tube 314 of this embodiment may have a frictionless orlow-friction internal canal 344. For example, the internal canal 344 mayhave a lining 346 to facilitate movement of the inflation tube 308relative to the internal tube 314.

In the above embodiments, the rigid support structure 132, 232, 332 maybe formed, for example, as a tubular or cylindrical structure, or may beformed as one or more beams in a support frame.

Embodiments of the invention may provide a system and method forinternalizing external components of an intragastric balloon within theballoon. However, some embodiments provide for a portion of theseexternal components to remain on an outside of the balloon. In someembodiments, an internal tube houses a stretchable inflation tube. Thestretchable tube may be bonded at its distal end to an inner surface ofthe internal tube, thereby allowing the remainder of the inflation tubeto slide freely within the lumen of the internal tube and thereby attainits maximum stretched length outside of the balloon. For example, thestretchable inflation tube may be bonded in its most distal 1 cm to theinternal surface of the rigid catheter. In such an example, a 10 cm longinflation tube can stretch the 9 cm that are unbound to lengths of 60-90cm.

The internal tube may be a fixed length and therefore hold only a setlength of the stretchable inflation tube. However, in embodiments of theinvention, the internal tube can be made to have a changeable lengthsuch that at a resting state it is one length, but when pulled it canshorten. In a shortened state of the internal tube, the stretchableinflation tube may then extend farther from the balloon. In addition,the length of the inflation tube can be decreased due to the increasedistance provided by the shortened internal tube.

In some embodiments, for example, when the inflation tube is pulled orstretched away from the balloon to facilitate inflation or adjustment ofthe volume of the balloon, the internal tube is shortened or compressedas it is pulled by the distal end of the inflation tube. When theinflation tube is released from its pulled or stretched position, theinternal tube will return from the shortened or compressed state to aresting or un-compressed state. In returning to the resting orun-compressed state, the internal tube pulls the distal end of theinflation tube to assist in returning the inflation tube its restingstate such that the inflation tube is in the interior of the balloon,substantially within the interior of the balloon, or within the generalprofile of the balloon.

According to some embodiments, the internal tube may have segments ofaccordion walls that contract when pulled to shorten the length of theinternal tube. The structure of the accordion walls can be varied suchthat they will have more or less propensity to return to the baselinelonger length. For example, a thickness of the accordion walls can bevaried. In addition, or alternatively, a spring can be provided thatpromotes lengthening of the internal tube. Such a spring can be made ofmetal and can be disposed an internal or an external side of theinternal tube.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the variable sized internal tubecan be coupled to a distal end of a surrounding structure, such as arigid support structure. These may be coupled by, for example, astretchable tether or spring that promotes lengthening of the internaltube to its longer length. Alternatively, the internal tube can becoupled to a distal balloon wall by a stretchable tether or spring thatpromotes lengthening of the internal tube to its longer length

According to some embodiments, the internal tube can be formed oftelescoping segments (e.g., an old-fashioned television antenna-likestructure) that houses progressively smaller diameter tubes that canshorten or lengthen as desired similar to the accordion structures of anabove-discussed embodiment. The inflation tube may fit within thesmallest diameter segment of the telescoping internal tube. The smallestsegment can therefore have a diameter large enough to accommodate theinflation tube. In some embodiments, a space between the inflation tubeand the internal tube is provided. For example, the space may be atleast 1 mm.

In some embodiments, any external catheter, including the inflationtube, as well as the valve and cap on the inflation tube may beinternalized within the balloon or within an outer shape of the balloon.As a result, a smooth balloon without any external protrusions may beprovided. This can be accomplished in several ways. In some embodiments,the area of the balloon from which the catheter or external componentsexit will be shaped to form a recess or concavity. The recess may bedeep enough to hold the external portion of the catheter, including thevalve and cap. For example, the recess may be approximately 1-5 cm deep.The recess may be created by differing the density of the balloon wallor silicone, or by adding other materials to the wall of the balloon inthe area of the recess. For example, the balloon may comprise a siliconewall having varying thickness, or multiple silicone materials ofdifferent stiffnesses. Additionally, materials, such as internal layersof materials, may be added to the balloon. Such layers may be formed inmesh or solid structures. In an embodiment, multiple layers of siliconmay be used with intervening mesh layers. Other materials may also beused, including, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, andlatex.

In some embodiments, the valve may comprise a silicone housing with aluer lock neck that can be closed with the cap. The housing may have afunnel or tapered shape. The funnel may contain a one-way or two-wayvalve that is made from hard material such as polypropylene, or it maycontain a valve made of a soft material such as silicone. The funnelcould then be closed with a soft material such as silicone in the shapeof a thin rubber sheath that rolls on and off. The thin rubber sheathmay have a cylindrical shape with a closed first end and an open secondend. The soft material version would be utilized to prevent tissuedamage.

In some embodiments, the balloon can be elongated such that an internaltube or catheter can be longer and house more of the inflation tube,leaving less to protrude outside of the balloon. According to variousembodiments, the balloon can be spherical, pear-shaped, cylindrical, orother shapes that fit in the stomach.

In some embodiments, the inflation tube may stretch 6-10 times itslength. In other embodiments, the inflation tube may stretch 10-20 timesits length. The inflation tube may be made from different siliconematerial having different stretchability or elasticity.

In some embodiments, the internal tube or catheter may be formed as asolid, straight catheter and may be made from, for example, silicone. Insome embodiments, the internal tube or catheter that houses theinflation tube can be modified to house a frictionless internal canalthat houses the inflation tube. For example, the internal tube can belined with TEFLON® or other similar materials, or filled with liquidsilicone oil or other friction reducing material. The reduced fictioncan help enable internal tubes of different shapes and paths accordingto some embodiments. For example, the internal tube may curve in asinusoidal pattern. In this way, the effective length of the internaltube is increased over a limited straight-line distance. Therefore, theinternal tube may be allowed to contain more of the inflation tubeinside the balloon.

The internal tube may be provided as one piece that starts internallyand is glued to the top of the balloon, after which it exits theballoon. According to some embodiments, the internal tube can be changedto a completely internal tube or catheter that ends in a receptacle atits glue point with the balloon. The receptacle is big enough to housethe valve and cap of the inflation tube.

Any combination of all of the above can accomplish the internalizationof the external catheter, valve and cap, with a supporting frame thatcan also act as an anchor.

Some embodiments of the present invention relate to the elimination ofthe guide wire and pusher used during the insertion process of anintragastric balloon. For example, the insertion procedure may includethe balloon being attached to an endoscope and pulled into the stomachduring a routine endoscopy procedure. The balloon may then be releasedfrom the endoscope and inflated. This process can be accomplished inseveral ways.

In some embodiments, the balloon may be folded in a way to allow it tobe wrapped around the endoscope. Additionally, a cylindrical containingmember or wrapping piece may be attached to the distal end of theendoscope. Such a wrapping piece can be made to fit snugly on one or allendoscope sizes, and/or may be adjustable to different size endoscopes.The wrapping piece may be made of a pliable material including, forexample, silicone, rubber, polymer or other pliable material, or of anon-pliable material such as a fabric that can hold the balloon. Thewrapping material may be able to securely hold, for example, about 2-15cm of the balloon length during the insertion of the endoscope into thestomach.

Once in the stomach, the balloon is separated from the endoscope. Thiscan be accomplished in several ways. In some embodiments, the wrappingpiece can have perforations on its surface such that inflation of theballoon will expand the wrapping piece and the perforations will openand release the balloon. Alternatively, the inflation of the balloon mayautomatically push the balloon out of the wrapping piece's grasp.Alternatively, the proximal edge of the wrapping piece may be connectedto a string that enters a biopsy channel at the distal end of theendoscope. The string, which may exit the top of the biopsy channel, maybe pulled to pull the proximal edge of the wrapping piece distally andthereby release the balloon.

Some embodiments of the invention relate to a method of adjusting aninflation level of a balloon inserted into a stomach of a subject wherethe balloon is in fluid communication with an inflation tube. The methodincludes stretching the inflation tube while keeping the balloon in thestomach. The inflation tube will extend from within the balloon whenstretching. In its extended position, a fluid is transferred to or fromthe balloon via the inflation tube to adjust the inflation level of theballoon. Subsequently, the inflation tube is returned to a restingposition after adjusting the inflation level. In this resting position,a substantial portion of the inflation tube is contained within theballoon or within a recess on the outer surface of the balloon. Thus,the balloon has reduced protrusions on the exterior.

Although the foregoing description is directed to the preferredembodiments of the invention, it is noted that other variations andmodifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and may bemade without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.Moreover, features described in connection with one embodiment of theinvention may be used in conjunction with other embodiments, even if notexplicitly stated above.

In some embodiments, the internal tube may be made of a shape-memorymaterial to facilitate a return of the internal tube to the restingposition.

FIGS. 10A-10D and 11A-C show an intragastric balloon and endoscopeassembly 400 according to additional embodiments of the invention.

An adjustable balloon may be a fluid filled balloon that has astretchable inflation tube connected to the balloon. The inflation tubeexits the balloon within a surrounding tube and ends in a valve. Duringan insertion procedure, a pusher and a firm guidewire within the pushermay connect to the balloon and an external catheter in one straightcontinuum. The inflation tube may stretch about 6 to 10 times itslength, and may allow the valve to be pulled out of the stomach whilethe balloon remains in the stomach. This can allow adjustment of thevolume of the balloon. Applicant's other patent applications referencedand incorporated above discuss some features of a similar balloon.

In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided to eliminate theguidewire and pusher sometimes used during the insertion process. In anembodiment, the balloon may be attached to an endoscope and pulled intothe stomach during a routine endoscopy procedure. The balloon may thenbe released from the endoscope and inflated. This release and inflationcan be accomplished in several ways. For example, in an embodiment, theballoon is folded in a way to allow it to be wrapped around theendoscope. In addition, a cylindrical wrapping piece may be provided andattached to a distal end of the endoscope. The wrapping piece may fitsnugly on different sized endoscopes and/or may be adjustable todifferent size endoscopes. The wrapping piece can be made of a pliablematerial such as silicone or rubber, or a non-pliable material such as afabric. The wrapping piece may be configured to hold the balloon (forexample, about 2-15 cm of the length of the balloon) securely during theinsertion of the endoscope into the stomach. Once in the stomach, theballoon may be separated from the endoscope. In an embodiment, thewrapping piece can have perforations on its surface such that inflationof the balloon will expand the wrapping piece and the perforations willopen and release the balloon. Alternatively, the inflation of theballoon will automatically push the balloon out of the grasp of thewrapping piece. Alternatively, the proximal edge of the wrapping piecemay be connected to a string that enters a biopsy channel at the distalend of the endoscope. The string exits the top of the biopsy channel,and, when pulled, can pull the proximal edge of the wrapping piecedistally to release the balloon.

In FIG. 10A, the balloon 402 is attached to or wrapped around the distalend 458 of an endoscope 456 and covered or held in place by a wrapping460. The wrapping 460 may include perforations 462. As shown in FIGS.10B and 10C, the perforations can expand and/or allow the wrapping 460to tear when the balloon 402 is inflated. The perforations may be placedtoward a proximal edge 464 of the wrapping 460 to control the tear andto release the balloon on the proximal side, as shown in FIG. 10D.

In FIG. 11A, the wrapping 460 is coupled to a string 466. The wrapping460 is removed by the string 466 being pulled from the biopsy channel468 to remove the wrapping 460 by pulling the proximal edge 464 of thewrapping 460, as shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C.

1. An apparatus for use in a stomach of a subject, the apparatuscomprising: a balloon adapted for placement in the stomach and having anopening to an interior of the balloon; an internal tube in the interiorof the balloon with a proximal end coupled to the opening of theballoon; and an inflation tube having a distal end in the interior ofthe balloon and a proximal end configured to receive a fluid on anexterior of the balloon, the inflation tube being configured to stretchfrom the stomach to a mouth of the subject to facilitate inflation ofthe balloon and to have a resting position that is within the generalprofile of the balloon, the internal tube being disposed around at leasta portion of the inflation tube that is in the interior of the balloon.2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distal end of theinternal tube is coupled to the distal end of the inflation tube.
 3. Theapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the internal tube has a variablelength including a first length that accommodates a substantial portionof the inflation tube when the inflation tube is in the restingposition, and a second length, which is shorter than the first length,when the inflation tube is stretched outwardly from the balloon.
 4. Theapparatus according to claim 3, wherein a wall of the internal tube hasone or more accordion structures to facilitate the variable length ofthe internal tube.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 3, furthercomprising: a spring coupled to the internal tube, the spring biasingthe internal tube to the first position.
 6. The apparatus according toclaim 3, wherein the internal tube comprises a plurality of telescopingsegments slideably engaged with each other.
 7. The apparatus accordingto claim 3, further comprising: a rigid support in the interior of theballoon disposed around, and extending coaxially with, the internaltube.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the distal end ofthe internal tube is coupled to a distal end of the rigid support via astretchable tether such that the stretchable tether is stretched whenthe internal tube is in the second position thereby biasing the internaltube toward the first position.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the inflation tube comprises: a valve on the proximal end of theinflation tube configured to selectively open and close the inflationtube, and a removable cap on the proximal end of the inflation tubecovering the valve.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theopening of the balloon is disposed within a recess formed in an exteriorsurface of the balloon.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, whereinthe proximal end of the inflation tube is disposed within the recess inthe resting position of the inflation tube.
 12. The apparatus accordingto claim 11, wherein a depth of the recess is greater than or equal to aheight of the inflation tube that is within the recess in the restingposition.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 10, the apparatus furthercomprising: a receptacle disposed within the recess and configured tosurround the proximal end of the inflation tube when in the restingposition.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a gap betweena wall of the recess and an outer wall of the receptacle is filled witha filler substance.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theinternal tube has a curved shape to increase a length of the inflationtube contained within the internal tube.
 16. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein a lumen wall of the internal tube is configured toallow sliding of the inflation tube relative to the lumen wall.
 17. Amethod of adjusting an inflation level of a balloon inserted into astomach of a subject where the balloon is in fluid communication with aninflation tube, the method comprising: stretching the inflation tubewhile keeping the balloon in the stomach, the inflation tube extendingfrom within the balloon when stretching; transferring a fluid to or fromthe balloon via the inflation tube which may or may not requireconnection to an extension tube, to adjust the inflation level of theballoon; and returning the inflation tube to a resting position afteradjusting the inflation level, a substantial portion of the inflationtube being contained within the balloon in the resting position.
 18. Themethod according to claim 17, further comprising: positioning a proximalend of the inflation tube within a recess formed on an exterior of theballoon when returning the inflation tube to the resting position. 19.The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internal tube has avariable length.